Chapter 11 - The Father Behind the Money
Richard recovered quickly.
Too quickly.
“Malcolm and I sit on the same hospital foundation.”
“That proves nothing.”
Detective Price agreed.
“By itself, it proves very little.”
Then he placed a second image beside the first.
Richard was handing Voss an envelope.
Marcus stared at his father.
“What was in it?”
“Foundation documents.”
“At seven o’clock at night in a parking garage?”
Richard looked at him coldly.
“You are in no position to question anyone’s judgment.”
The sentence landed with precision.
Marcus understood exactly what his father meant.
The affair.
Richard already knew.
Khloe noticed.
“You knew about Isabella.”
Richard turned toward her.
“I knew my son had made mistakes.”
“Mistakes?”
Khloe’s voice hardened.
“He had an eleven-month affair.”
Richard sighed.
“This is hardly the moment.”
“It became the moment when his mistress kicked me while I was pregnant.”
Richard glanced toward Isabella.
For the first time, she looked genuinely afraid of him.
Khloe saw it.
So did Gabriel.
“You know her,” Gabriel said.
Richard said nothing.
Isabella suddenly stood.
“You told me he would protect me.”
Every person in the room froze.
Richard looked at her with open disgust.
“Sit down.”
Isabella’s mouth fell open.
“You said Marcus would choose me once the baby was gone.”
Marcus moved toward his father.
“Isabella.”
“Tell them.”
Richard’s attorney immediately intervened.
“My client will not participate in this circus.”
Isabella laughed.
“You think I’m taking the fall alone?”
Richard’s eyes became dangerous.
“You have no idea what you’re saying.”
“Oh, I know exactly what I’m saying.”
She turned toward Khloe.
“Your husband was cheating.”
“But his father was the one who told me how much your baby was worth.”
Khloe felt the room tilt.
Richard’s attorneys began talking over one another.
Detective Price ordered everyone silent.
Isabella pointed at Richard.
“He said Marcus was weak.”
“He said Marcus had ruined everything by getting you pregnant before the trust could be rewritten.”
Marcus stared at his father.
“You knew about the trust clause.”
Richard gave no answer.
“You knew I would lose voting control.”
Still nothing.
Marcus’s voice became quieter.
“You paid Voss.”
Richard finally looked at him.
“I protected what your grandfather built.”
Marcus stepped backward.
As though the admission had physically pushed him.
Khloe whispered.
“By trying to kill my child?”
Richard’s face hardened.
“I never ordered anyone to hurt you.”
Isabella laughed again.
“No.”
“You just said the problem had to disappear before delivery.”
Richard looked at her.
“That is not what I meant.”
Detective Price leaned forward.
“Then tell us what you did mean.”
Richard said nothing.
And for the first time that night, Marcus looked at his father exactly the way Khloe had been looking at Marcus.
May you like
As if he no longer knew the man standing in front of him.
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